


Operation Rescue Mom

by SQDrabbles



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2018-09-10 16:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8923663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SQDrabbles/pseuds/SQDrabbles
Summary: Regina is hurt, Henry tries to heal. Get ready for the RegalBeliever feels and some SwanQueen.(This was posted on my twitter roleplay account, hopefully will expand it on here.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to Matt Corby's Resolution while writing this. If you have the chance listen to the song its really lovely.

Sneaking away wasn't easy. Everyone was making sure he didn't go see her. When before he had no parental watch over him, now everyone is interested in his comings and goings. Even Rumple came to see him, tried to teach him magic to distract him. But really, all Henry wanted was his mom. They kept telling that she is fine, and even got a glance of Emma, but no one would let him see Regina. Operation Rescue Mom was in action.

Sneaking into the hospital was easy. Easier than sneaking away from Ruby. He only needed to mention Dorothy to have her stumbling away with a hurried excuse. Carrying his backpack close to him, he scampered around the patients, trying to find the familiar brunette. Finally coming across an empty hallway that he does find the room he was looking for.

 

It's scarier than he imagined. He bites his lip, taking in the view. It's not what the stories tell him of sleeping beauties. Wires crisscross across her face and on her arms, a slow beep signaling from the corner of her bed. There's nothing normal about his mother lying in a coma. She looks asleep, but he knew if he called out right now, she won't turn to him and smile. Slowly he walks towards her, waiting for her to turn and wake up at seeing him. Yet the machines keep beeping even as he stands besides her. He places his backpack down, taking out the book.

"M-mom. I know you're in there. I'll be here."

He kisses her cheek, what he can reach between the tubes, a small part of him hoping this would wake her up. But he knows this isn't a curse, this isn't a fairytale. This is real life, /his/ life, and he holds his mother's hand tighter. He whispers only to her ears.

"I'm here. I'll wait for you."

And with that he slowly takes a seat across her bed, and starts to read his own fairytale stories, memories of a little prince with his mother.

_"Once upon a time, there was a queen."_

A gurgle of laughter, tiny hands reaching upwards to the voice.

_"And she cast a glorious curse that gave her everything she wanted."_

One step, two step, three steps. Slowly those tiny feet brought him to the outreaching arms and next he's lifted up into the air, squealing at the rush of the feelings and the laughter residing within the woman holding him.

_"Or so she thought."_

A sob, a jolt of fear within him surrounds him in darkness. Crying out until a soothing voice breaks through the panic, and he's lifted up from among the shards of glass. The pain numbs as he listens to her voice, a lullaby sung as he's rocked into safety.

_"She despaired when she learned that revenge was not enough. She was lonely. And so she searched the land for a little boy to be her prince. And then, she found him. "_

"Ma," quietly he tries it out, so foreign. Liking the taste, he tries it again; loudly this time as he hears her footsteps close. "Maaa". Once it stuck in his mouth, he kept repeating it, not being able to stop at all, even when she kisses his cheek and laughs at his new founding knowledge.

 

 

Henry pauses reading, and glances towards the bed. No movement yet, only the meticulous beeping of the machines. He grips the book tighter and flips the page, continues reading again, voice unwavering, hoping it reaches her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments & Reviews would be awesome! <3

**_And though they lived happily, it was not ever after. There was still an evil out there lurking._ **

 

Henry doesn’t know how long he’s been sitting. He had a grip on the book in one hand, the other holding onto his mothers. There was no point in reading more, and he used the excuse of needing to flip the page instead of thinking he doesn’t believe anymore. He needed to keep believing. He took the beeping of the machine as her pulse, every sound as a sign that his mom was still there.

It took him awhile to recognize someone calling his name, and Ruby and Emma rushing in, entering the room as Snow trailed after them, pausing at the doorway.

“Kid! Got me worried there.” Emma murmurs into his shoulders, hugging him tightly despite the arm between them. Ruby ruffles Henry’s hair, as though he hadn’t sneaked out under her nose. He thinks that might be it when she smiles warmly at him, when he realizes she could have sniffed him out before, as she does now, murmuring to Emma as she sniffs the room, “She’s not here.”

Emma’s hold on Henry’s shoulders tightens. “I just wanted to see her. I’m okay, mom.” Henry smiles gently to Emma, seeing how tense she is. He subtly shifts the book away, not wanting to show her, not yet.

“You’re supposed to stay with Ruby until the coast is clear.” Emma comments, looking steadfastly at him. She barely glances to the woman on the bed, the machine beeping close by.

Snow stays at the door, looking in. Emma glances to her questioningly, “Snow?” The woman ignores her, her fingers reaching out to reach for nothing, only to hiss and jolt as though she’s electrified and rears her hand back to her chest, the air sizzling.

“Snow --!” Emma calls out this time, pushing Henry behind her. Snow just smiles, a smile not of her own, and in a blink she’s turned into /her/.

“Hm. Now this is new. Blood magic, yet I can’t get in.” The Evil Queen tsks, eyes darkening dangerously.

“My magic. We know Regina’s blood magic wouldn’t work on you.” It’s the first time Emma mention’s Regina’s name out loud since, this, and Henry peeks over his mom’s shoulder at the Evil Queen grinning at the entrance.

“Oh my, haven’t we /improved/.”  There’s a tick in her face that shows she’s not that amused, surprised to even find that they found a way to keep her out. “You can’t stay in there forever, dear.”

She tells them, but somehow Henry feels she’s only looking at him. He knows he should be afraid at her words, but all he could feel is a lump of sadness at the back of his throat, gripping more tightly to Regina’s limp hand.

A hurried Red calls David in the background, making sure Snow is safe.  The Evil Queen simply huffs and magics herself away, her eyes fixed on her coma-induced half as she disappears.

Emma keeps holding Henry, and he wants to feel angry that she hasn’t looked at his mom yet, hasn’t even checked in on her. But he can see her face is white, and what looks like tears threatening to escape her, and leaves it for another day. “Let’s go home.” He tells her with all the cheer he could muster in his voice, wanting Emma to believe he’s fine with the arrangement now, fine with not being with Regina and instead living in the apartment with them. A tear escapes her cheek as she smiles, cupping his cheek. “Yeah, kid. Let’s go.”

He turns around to kiss Regina’s cheek once more. “I’ll be back to read to you again.” He whispers into her ear, imagining her squeezing his hand back.


	3. Chapter 3

**_The Queen was worried for her prince's safety._ **

 

“What were you thinking?” Emma starts as they enter the manor. Henry goes all the way to the living room, ignoring Emma as he dumps his bag onto the couch. The thump of her boots followed by footsteps as she made into the living room. He kept his back to her, pulling out the crumbled paper from his backpack.  

 

“I just wanted to see her.” He admits when he feels Emma waiting for a reply, eye still glued to the paper.

 

“I know, kid. But she wanted you safe. That’s the operation, remember? To stay safe.”

 

At ‘safe’, Emma could see Henry tightening his hold on the paper. He flips around to face her, eyes widening. “I am safe! She’s the one in a coma! Everyone gave her true love’s kiss and she still didn’t wake up!”

 

The air hung heavy, the remaining words not voiced out. Emma shuffles guiltily from across the room.

 

“I’ll get dinner ready.” She sighs after a moment and scratches at her head, moving to the next room.

 

“I’m not hungry.” Henry replies, long after she’s gone.

 

He still heads to the kitchen when Emma calls. Despite being irritated with Emma, with how no one would let him visit his mother, with how Regina is stuck in the hospital while they’re floundering, waiting for a way to wake her – he still has Emma. He didn’t want her to eat alone.

 

She lets out a small smile as he hop onto the counter. An elaborate flip of the pancake fails to land on the plate, and they end up groaning and laughing in between as Emma flicks the flour at him. Regina might not approve pancakes for dinner, so Emma keeps in mind to add a salad consisting of cucumbers and carrots.

 

Later on, when they’ve settled, when actual food is on their plate, Henry notices how Emma keeps checking her phone. She glances up and smiles sheepishly at him when he asks about it.

 

“Hook is checking the docks, maybe there’s a clue from Queenie’s last spotting there.”

 

Henry starts excitedly, ideas running through his mind. “Why don’t we just go to the cemetery, mom’s potions –“

 

“Because we know that’s where _she’s_ keeping, and it’s better to know where she is than make her move to somewhere we don’t know.”

 

He plays with his food, mumbling to his plate. “What would Hook even know about finding magic.”

 

“Hey now.” Emma reaches over to grab his arm, squeezing gently. “You know Hook has been helping out a lot, despite –“

 

“Despite you guys breaking up! He’s just doing that to get you back.” Henry groans as he drops his fork. Emma rolls her eyes and drops his hand, moving to flick his forehead instead.

 

“And though that’s nice of him, that does not mean we’re going to get back together.”

 

“So why don’t you just kiss mom awake?” Henry blurts out, only realizing what he’s saying after.  “I mean…”

 

Letting out a sigh, Emma leans back into her seat, running a hand through her hair as she glances away. “That’s not how it works. Yes, I like your mother, we’re friends, but not like that. Even then, it won’t work.”

 

“You didn’t even try –“ It comes out harsh and strong, and Emma looks up in surprise.

 

“Kid! What’s gotten into you?!”

 

Once he started, there was no holding back the rest of what he wanted to say, since the hospital. “Everyone kissed her except you! Everyone at least tried! You won’t even go visit! You said we will get her to wake up but you’re not even there to get her to wake up! ”

 

Emma lets out a groan and rubs her forehead. “I thought we went over this.”

 

“Fine. May I be excused?”

 

“Uh, sure, kid.” He knew Emma was surprised, not used to him reverting back to formal talk. He used to do the same with Regina, when she didn’t give in to his requests, and only a sliver of guilty passes his mind as he does the same thing to Emma.

 

He stomps to the stairs, to the corridor, to his room, and slams the door shut. Running to his bed, he picks up the storybook, flipping through it, the sense of dread easing as he sees the familiar faces in it.

 

He’s read it a dozen times, hoping the cure would show up. Yet nothing is mentioned about his mom, or a page indicating what future awaits them.

 

It did once. A page slipped out showing his mother and Emma hugging, at the docks, with fireworks across the waves. They’ve never had fireworks displays like that, and mom’s hair was shorter. It seemed something like from the future. He keeps hold on to that, certain proof that Regina might awake still.

 

Once he’s done studying the book, eyes tired yet feeling much calmer, he glances to the window outside. The town clock lets him know it’s been two hours, and he heads downstairs to check on Emma.

 

He first checks the study room, Emma’s place of rest since Regina entered the hospital. Lights still on, he finds her sitting cross-legged on the floor, head resting on the table, hair strewn across her cheeks as she sleep, an open book besides her.

 

The table was filled with his mom’s magic books, some in different languages, Belle’s handwriting on some translating it. There’s scribbles of notes and scratched out parts, and he knows those are Emma’s. Gold mentioned there could be a potion that could help, but nothing yet that Belle or Emma could determine works.

 

Henry quietly picks up the blanket and wraps it gently around his mom. It’s confusing how Emma spends every day slaving away hours trying to find a cure, yet wouldn’t try a simple obvious solution.

 

Walking around Emma, he sits on the couch behind her. Lying on his back, he picks up the phone and calls Regina, listening to her voice mail as he does every night before going to sleep, eyes to the ceiling.

 

 


End file.
